Rise of The Militia
by Blitzkrieger
Summary: As the War drags on, a new faction rises to change history, a Separatist Militia comprised of the Jedi's most formidable enemies take the fight to the Republic on all fronts. Among them rises Helix Starstorm a young soldier dedicated to fight for freedom will lead them while fighting against Ahsoka as she is tasked with testing their resolve and her own in fighting real soldiers.
1. Chapter 1: Ambush at Aragon

**I'm testing a theory I have with this story, enjoy**

**Chapter I: Ambush on Aragon **

"Push forward we've got them on the run." Anakin and Obi-Wan said at the front lines next to his clone soldiers. They were in a large open clearing with tall pine trees on all sides, there were four six legged tanks marching besides the clones firing at the retreating droids who were falling back into a rocky gorge.

"We've got them cornered Master." Anakin said next to Obi-Wan as they deflected red droid fire.

"Something doesn't seem right, intelligence says there were more." Obi-Wan said back swatting away the enemy fire.

Anakin held up his wrist communicator as the "Ahsoka have you encountered resistance?" Anakin asked his Padawan who was in another part of the battlefield chasing down battle droids alongside Captain Rex and her own clone troopers who continuously pushed the battle droids back into the thick woods. Her green and yellow lightsabers made short work of any droids in her path with Rex's keen marksmanship downing droids almost as fast as she could take them out "Skirmishers Master, but the tinies are on the run."

"That's what I like to hear, keep up the good work." Anakin ordered and commended her at the same time. When he saw the droids were backed up behind rocks under the cliff and saw a perfect opportunity.

"Sergeant concentrate fire on the ridge!" Anakin ordered the closest clone trooper officer, the clones pointed their rockets up on the cliff tearing them asunder forcing an avalanche on the remains droids.

Obi-Wan sheathed his lightsaber along with Anakin as they had finished up the rest of the droids "Well that's it then?" Kenobi said.

"We win again and you sound disappointed master?" Anakin said patting his master on the back as they started to walk away toward a few gunships coming to collect the Generals and clones.

"Only why our reports were wrong it's almost as if this was…" Anakin and Obi-Wan shared a look that could kill as Obi-Wan trailed off "A trap."

"INCOMING!" One of the clones shouted as a series of rockets flew out of the tree line taking out the gunships sending the wreckage straight into the main Republic force. From both tree lines erupted a barrage of red blaster fire and mortar fire. One of the tanks was hit by the rockets taking out two of its legs demobilizing it.

The lightsabers were redrawn as the clones got behind their tanks forming a defensive circle "Ahsoka finish up the droids and get back to us, we've been ambushed." Ahsoka heard Anakin order into his communications link to her as the droids finished up the droids.

"Rex rally the men, my Masters in trouble." Ahsoka ordered him "Right away Commander." Captain Rex said turning away to give orders Suddenly Ahsoka heard a tremor through the force and ran up behind him "Look out."

A sharp whistle broke through air ripped through the trees hitting one of the clones in the arm that would have taken Rex out.

"Whoa, thanks Commander." Rex said as the clones got into cover, Ahsoka looked at the clone who had a metal arrow lodged in his arm. He was yelling in pain as one of the clones dragged him behind a fallen line.

"What is that?" One of the clones asked "Looks like an arrow?"

Suddenly the air was filled with the sounds of whistling noises, Ahsoka looked up to see a shower of arrows heading right for them. One of the clones looked out behind cover "I can't see where their shooting fro- ACK" one of the arrows hit the lookout right through the head.

Ahsoka looked at Rex "Pop smoke."

The clones reached under their belts and pulled out smoke grenades throwing them over the trees and rocks they were cowering behind. A series of the cans pins popping open and spraying thick white clouds of smoke covered the area.

"Everyone fall back, fall back." Ahsoka ordered.

Back with Obi-Wan and Anakin, their forces were pinned down and loosing men fast, their last tank exploded from a mortar bombardment and suddenly the enemy fire cease out of the blue.

The clones all looked at one another like the Jedi were all confused and waited for another barrage. "Master?" Anakin asked up against one of the downed tanks for cover, the grass field was torn asunder by the mortars and explosives.

Obi-Wan peaked out from behind cover to see shapes moving in the trees but they weren't droids "What do you see?" Anakin asked.

"Not droids, whoever it is I feel we're about to meet them?" Obi-Wan said and on divine providence the jedi and their valiant troops heard thunderous battle cry's and roars from the trees. They were mixes of shell yelps, screams and roars of less humanoid species. Metal was being banged on the metal like random beats but a heavy unified beat emerged at a strong rhythm that reached into the he core of every clone trooper there.

Anakin and Obi-Wan squeezed their lightsabers "Prepare for close quarters combat- Ahsoka what's your eta?" Anakin asked into his coms.

Ahsoka heard him across the battlefield as she let a clone trooper with an arrow through his back lean on her "We're in full retreat Master, we just got ambushed to definitely not droids."

"Same here, change of plans find a place to hold up things are about to get messy here." Anakin said as he climbed the tank as the enemy emerged from the tree line.

They certainly weren't droids, they were all wearing the same horizon blue uniforms but over them they all had leather harnesses over their chest with an assortment of gray body armor over their chest, shoulders, their helmets had a shaded visor over the eyes, with a smooth top back and went straight down from the visor around the jawline encasing their head entirely. Running out of the trees yelling Anakin could see some of them weren't regular soldiers but heavily armored ones covered in the armor with heavy ammo packs on their backs holding repeating blaster cannons firing at the clones allowing the vanguard to advance with E-5 blasters.

"Open fire!" Anakin ordered as the enemy soldiers charged, among their numbers Anakin spotted one wearing a white and dark blue sash wielding a vibrio sword a commando droid would hold "For Freedom, For the Alliance, For THE GALAXY!"

The vanguard broke their formation letting out their own battle cries the clones were overwhelmed within seconds without any close quarter weapons like the enemy combatants. They were all brandishing vibro swords like the commander along with knives and even some holding tomahawk axes. Anakin and Obi-Wan didn't hesitate to jump right into the fray, the master swordsmen began to cut a swath of severed limbs and broken swords before Anakin's blade found itself locked against the hanger sword of the enemy commander.

"I was looking for you." Anakin growled, "Here I am." The commander said through his helmet mask, the enemy commander began to take his sword in both hands swiping and parrying Anakin's lightsaber before out of nowhere Anakin felt a hard left hook smash him right in the jaw, Anakin recovered and saw welded into his shoulder armor was the Confederacy of Independent Systems insignia.

Anakin staggered back caught off guard by the blow and felt the swords edge slice through his robes and down his back. The Jedi general let out a yell of pain that traveled across the battlefield to Obi-Wan who looked to see Anakin spin back around and blast the commander with a force push that sent the commander into the air. His rocket boots ignited and he flew around for a second before dive bombing Anakin and swinging his sword overhead to knock the lightsaber out of Anakins hand.

He swung his sword down on Anakin who caught the sword with his metal right hand and moved it out of the side.

The commander caught Anakin's lightsaber with his own free hand head butted Anakin knocking him back, Obi-Wan saw his former student in peril and rushed to help him, he force pushed the commander off his feet into his own men. When Obi-Wan got to Anakin he stood up "I didn't need your help."

"You may but we're outnumbered, we need to retreat." Obi-Wan insisted as the melee raged around them. The clones continued to fight valiantly among the enemy soldiers, Anakin scanned the battlefield for his opponent and saw a group of the soldiers rallying around him getting to his feet. The man rose his helmet knocked off to reveal a man with brown hair with shaved sides, an oval face with full lips and wide nose. A scar snaked up the left side of his face and over his brow. He picked up his sword and locked a pair of brown eyes with Obi-Wan who was surprised to see him, a soldier with an eel graphic on his helmet helped him to his feet.

The man reached to his belt and pulled out a flare gun and shot it into the sky, the flares hissing burn was followed by the sounds of flapping bug wings. The clones and jedi looked skyward to see "Geonisans?" Anakin gasped as a swarm of bugs descended on them. They wore the grey and blue attire of the soldiers wielding E-5 blasters shooting into the crowd.

Elsewhere with Ahsoka and Rex they were escaping from the arrows "We need to get out of the forest." Ahsoka told Rex.

Rex looked around and spotted the thicket of trees opening to the right "That way." He pointed, Ahsoka looked behind them and was able to glance their pursuers were using the high tree branches to shoot down from leaping from them and taking aim with bows.

"Everyone run I'll cover you." Ahsoka yelled taking out her lightsabers, "You heard the lady move it!" Rex barked, Ahsoka flew into the trees and saw the enemy.

They were dressed in similar garb as the main force attacking Anakin and Obi-Wan, but instead they had on gray uniforms with green camouflage painted armor on their shoulders, chest, extra armor was on the outside of their thighs with teethed boots to keep on the trees. They wore similar helmets like the men but had ghillie suit hoods around their heads and shoulders with lighter armor focused on their chests, shoulders and legs "My turn." Ahsoka said on the counter attack.

She cut the branches out from beneath their feet or sliced the thinner trees, the falling trees caused chaos among the enemies as Ahsoka watched her men escape. Ahsoka looked like an arrow heading straight forward and she cut it down looking to see one of the archers looking at her arrow knocked against his bow he loosed it right at her and she dodged. He appeared different from the others, as his uniform was slightly darker with a blue sash around his waist, he had red red paint on his helmets front below the visor showing a row of teeth and snout of an animal.

Ahsoka ran at him lightsabers in hand and he loosed more arrows she dodged and deflected. He threw his bow over his shoulder and reached behind his back pulling out a knife and leapt over the branches running toward her, Ahsoka swung her lightsaber at him and he jumped over her cutting her across her exposed back. The move would cost him as he had no place to land, but as he fell he raised his right arm and out of his wrist shot a grapple spike it shot up and hit one of the branches. He pulled himself back up on one of the branches.

Fighting through the pain she gazed over at the archer who drew his bow and loosened another arrow. She jumped out of the way getting behind a tree, looking down she saw Rex was clear of the trees "Rex signal the fleet for a withdrawl." Ahsoka ordered.

"Yes commander." Rex said back.

Ahsoka looked back around the to see the archer was gone and suddenly felt a shadow over her head. The attacker dropped down on top of Ahsoka shattering the branches beneath them till they hit the forest floor, Ahsoka stopped his knife from going straight into her eye. The padawan drove her leg between his leg and knocked him off balance before she rolled over, using the force to get her lightsaber. The archer grabbed his bow and knocked an arrow losing it as Ahsoka got her lightsaber "Die jedi!" he yelled she raised them to cut the arrow but it hit her square in the shoulder.

Looking at the man who shot her, she raised her hand and hit him with a force pus so powerful the trees around him were uprooted by fifteen feet back.

Grabbing her arm she ran out of the woods holding her arm with the arrow in it to Rex and the remainder of her squadron that was decimated as a Republic gunship landed, Rex was already aboard waving her "You can make it Ahsoka!" Rex called out, she reached out to him and she pulled him on as the arrows rained down around them.

Ahsoka was panting from the pain as Rex let a medic tend to her "General Skywalker we're clear."

"Behind you Rex, all forces retreat, I repeat retreat." Anakin ordered his men as the fighting around them continued. Hearing his order the clones broke off fighting and started to run back down the field "Admiral Yuralen we need an extraction now." Anakin said into his comlink.

"That would be a problem Skywalker, a separatist fleet just dropped out of hyperspace, three dreadnougths." Admiral Yuralen said from the bridge of his star destroyer, the Venator had two more next to it with three Providence Class Separatist Dreadnoughts engaging them, clone starfighters engaged Rogue-class fighters with blue paint on their wings showing they were separatists. Anakin looked over at Obi-Wan as they retreated to the sounds of the enemy soldiers cheering.

"It wasn't a request Admiral, get it done." Anakin said running in defeat.

Yuralen heard him "Get a squadron to evacuate our ground forces immediately this battle is lost."


	2. Chapter 2: The Militia

**Chapter 2: The Militia **

_CORUSCANT_

_Jedi Temple,_

Anakin, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka stood before the Jedi High Council on the Republic capital world, Ahsoka had her arm in a sling with a patch over where the arrow had gone through. The Council stood in silence as a holographic recording showed recordings from clone trooper feed that showed the killing field on Aragon. The Council members all looked cautiously at it as the image changed to show the enemy commander and freeze right on him, out of all the jedi watching only Plo Koon looked away, squeezing his claw into a fist over his mask.

"The enemy drew us in like clockwork, the droid army was a rouse to draw our forces in and slaughter them." Anakin reported before they turned the hologram off.

The jedi murmured in hushed voices for a few moments "Can we confirm these soldiers are truly part of the Separatists?" Master Plo Koon asked.

"There weapons, the uniforms insignia and the ships they used to take nearly decimate us on our retreat would confirm it Masters." Obi-Wan said. "Our spies were unable to report the creation of such a force and the trap set for us could mean a significant amount of our operatives are compromised."

Anakin spoke next "The commander was far more skilled than any I faced, he new how to fight a jedi including whoever attacked my Padawan's men."

"The mans name is Jace Dallin, a former ally of the Jedi." Plo Koon said.

"You know him Master Plo?" Ahsoka asked surprised.

When all eyes turned on him "Jace Dallin was once a hero of the Republic during the Stark Hyperspace War, if he had joined the Separatist I fear for the future of this war."

"Master Skywalker, Master Kenobi after we received your transmission about these Separatist soldiers we intercepted wide spread communications behind Separatist lines declaring the creation of a Separatist Militia force calling themselves 'The Confederacy of Independent Systems Armed Forces' this is what they said." Windu said turning on a hologram to show Jace Dallin, he had his helmet under his arm and behind him stood two Separatist Soldiers, one of them was the same painted archer who had skewered Ahsoka, behind them were Geonisans, Trandoshans, Nemodians and many more Separaitist species.

Jace Dallin looked at the camera with his brown eyes, his hand reached up before he spoke brushing his scar "My name is Jace Dallin of Rendili, Colonel of the Separatist Volunteer Militia for years I was a loyal soldier to the Rendili Home Defense fleet and loyal soldier to the Grand Republic." He said, the man's voice seemed to be trembling as if he were afraid, outside the picture the jedi heard the sounds of chanting and hollering from other separatist soldiers in the background he started to pace left and right as he spoke.

"Today I broke with that loyalty by leading these brave men and women to a victory of the Republic forces on Aragon, we were victorious and drove the Republic back into the core worlds." He told the camera holding his helmet in one hand, before he took a pause to the resounding applause and cheers of his men "We will no longer tolerate the Republics disregard for our sovereignty, the plundering of our world's resources to fill their corporations coffers, nor the kidnapping and indoctrination of our young into their Jedi Order!" Ahsoka felt the venom in his words weren't just for them.

"For to long this war has been fought not with men but with imitations of it, droids, clones no longer, I call on all those within the Separatist Alliance and the dissidents of the Republic who would rather die on your feet than live on your knees to stand-with-us and Fight for Victory or Death!" he yelled holding up a fist and slamming it in the air, the roars grew louder in front of him, Dallins brown hair had grown out of place as he slightly sweating from the intense speech, he scanned the eyes of his followers as if scanning the room of Jedi "... Alliance Eternal."

"ALLIANCE ETERNAL!" The sudden all at once shout caught Ahsoka off guard along with Anakin and some of the other jedi before the transmission recording was cut.

An uneasy silence sounded throughout the chamber, "The Separatist Parliament are currently voting on a bill to ratify this Militia, it would shift the balance of power across the Confederacy." Windu said

"Do we believe Count Dooku would let that happen?" Anakin asked "Perhaps for now, rest and recover when this Dallin makes his next move you will fae him."

"Gladly." Anakin replied.

_RAXUS PRIME_

_Confederacy of Independent Systems House of Parliament _

Inside the great glass cathedral of the Separatist Alliance, the leaders of a thousand systems stood in the rectangular room with multiple levels around them. The holographic image of Count Dooku stood over them as the chairmen without any seats like the Senate of the Republic. At the center of the room stood the main speakers of the day's vote. Senators, Voe Atell, By Buss, Kerch Kush, Anita Fonti, and Punn Rimbaud. In front of them stood General Jace Dallin with two of his men, a masked soldier with his helmet painted with an eel decor and the archer without his bow. "General Dallin your forces were not sanctioned by this assembly yet you declare yourself the commander of a Separatist Army that represents this Parliament, how can we put our trust in you?" Voe Attell asked her green skin wrinkled up as she spoke to him.

"The honorable Voe Atell is right to worry, an army unchecked who answers to no assembly cannot exist." Dallin said up to the Parliament as everyone listened.

"I thank this delegation for electing to act quickly with the trade federation, techno union and more to give us the time and droids to defend our sovereign systems but the time for droids is over it is now time for the free to stand for themselves." He added gestures to his soldiers.

It was By Bliss who spoke next "The matter is not for you to decide 'General'."

"Then let us decide it, here and now." Kush said the man glared over at Atell and Bliss who glanced up at Count Dooku "The matter is to be put to a vote, all in favor."

Atell, Bliss and others on their side were quiet as Kush, Fonti, Rimbaud and others shouted a in favor of the proclamation. "Those against."

"Nay." Atell said loudly "Nay." Bliss added.

As the voters began to come in, Dooku waited as the votes were tallied in a holographic board in front of them. The nays and yay's rose steadily till they slowed with the nays as the minority.

"The Is have it, the resolution will pass General Dallin will receive funding and full support of this body by the will of the people of the Confederacy." Count Dooku's hologram said hands above, the senators in favor rose to applaud the motion as Dallin nodded with his archer putting his arm on the man's shoulder shaking it in unity. Dooku and Dallin locked eyes before Count Dooku disappeared from his hologram. Dallin was unable to see the swarm of Parliament members who swarmed over him to shake his hand and pat him on the back. His men could only keep them back so much as they started to leave.

They were bombarded like the jedi on Aragon but instead of mortars it was promises and invitations "My people will support you general."

"My sons are with you General."

"Come to a Gala tonight as my personal guest."

Dallin grabbed onto the archer "Get me out of here."

"Roger, roger." He said starting to carve a path pushing the senators away "The General doesn't have time for any of you we have war a fight." He said pushing threw the parliament members up the steps and into the hallway out of the senate.

Later they found their way into a separate room inside the Parliament House, it had a desk in the back with a stained glass window. There were two chairs in front of it that the archer took a seat in kicking up his feet on the desk. Jace walked up to the window looking out at the city, overhead Rogue-class starfighters popped fireworks in celebration of the bills passing down below in front of the Parliament he could see Separatist citizens running up to rows of the Separatist soldiers who were in front of desks taking signatures and markers directing them over ot groups next to confederate drop ships.

"Congratulations General." The other soldier said behind his helmet, with the eel on it.

The other one with his feet propped up reached up and took his helmet off, it pulled off most of the ghillie suit hood off to reveal a young man, sixteen or seventeen. He had blonde, his hair was buzzed on the sides with the top short and messy like General Dallins, but not combed on his head with tan skin and hazel eyes, he had a diamond shaped face with cleft chin "I thought the speech was a bit long and dramatic but yeah, good job sir."

"Thank you Helix, Marshal, but the real work starts now." Jace said walking over to the chair and putting his helmet down.

"I'm signaling our fleet to move to Antar 4 to train our new recruits, go there now while I secure things here." Jace said sitting at the desk across from them.

Helix's eyes got wide "Why?" He asked

"Because he said so." Marshal told him "I mean why do I have to train the new grunts?"

"Because you're our best fighter Helix, now go I've got my own party to deal with." Jace said to both men, Helix got up from his seat grabbing his helmet "Roger roger and all that bother." Helix said walking to the door he put his arm around Marshal "Come on you slippery eel let's go make some soldiers."

"Not you Starstorm, you stay." Helix and Marshal stopped before looking at one another "You heard the man." Helix said taking his arm off Marshal and walking back to General Dallins desk and sat down "So what do I do while you play politician?" Helix asked him.

General Dallin started to pull up a few files on hid desk "If by politician you mean making sure the Count's goons turn the Parliament against us, you're going to take the Vanguard and its force to start fighting this war the right way."

Helix's face went pale "You're giving me the Vanguard?"

Dallin nodded as he reached in his pocket and pulled out a set of blade wings forming a V and handed them to him "As our army grows I'll need officers I can trust to see our objectives through, as right now you are a Commander I want you start hitting the Republic supply lines and raze their outposts.

Both of them rose and Helix's eyes were wide with surprise but also intrigue he looked up at General Dallin and saluted him "Thank you sir, I won't let you down."

"I know Helix, but don't forget winning this war is important but it's how we win it that will matter." General Dallin said to him. Helix looked down at the blades.

"Now go, you have your orders." Dallin said sitting back down turning off the hologram of the ship, but Helix didn't leave just yet.

Dallin noticed this and looked up "What is it?"

"General if I'm going to war, there are few crazy sons of bitches I'd like to take with me, sir." He said making sure he added the respect that was due to his commanding officer.

General Dallin sighed "Make the transfers I'll approve whatever you need son."

_JEDI TEMPLE_

Ahsoka was standing in one of the temple war rooms with Anakin and other masters watching the public hold feeds on Raxus. "The amount of people here gathered outside the House of Parliament are staggering as thousands of Confederacy Citizens gather to enlist in the newly created Armed Forces." a voice said as the jedi all monitored the situation. Walking down the steps Ahsoka saw Helix by his helmet tucked under his arm speaking with other Separatist soldiers who took his arm and shook it before giving a salute.

Anakin noticed it "Is that the guy who winged you?"

"Yeah, can't wait to pay him back." she said as Starstorm started to speak.

The jedi turned off the communications and started to speak amongst each other, "Starstorm hmmm, well we know two of them know." Anakin said looking at her arm, he squeezed his gloves tight into fists at her wound.

"Don't worry about me Master, I'm fine." Ahsoka said.

"Let the healers decide that, in fact it's time you go see them." he said Ahsoka looked at her arm and all the jedi talking about what to do next "But Master I-" "No buts now go." Ahsoka left the war room and headed out toward the medics remembering the arrow as it was run through her arm. It was different then fighting droids when she reached up to her wound she heard his scream 'DIE JEDI'. She stopped looking around hearing it through the force before she walked on. Later she walked into the medical wing of the temple and the Jedi healer looked to see her come in.

The doctor walked over to her "Greetings Padawan Tano, please." She said gesturing for her to sit on a bed.

She sat down across the jedi healer who's started to undo her bandages, she removed the sling and pressed her hands on her shoulder. "It's been a long time since I healed an arrow wound, who were you fighting?"

"Someone I intend not to let get the best of me again." Ahsoka said as she felt the force flow into her shoulder, the wound sealed itself and healed with the healers power coursing through the force.

"Aaaaand done." The healer said taking her hands away.

"You may need to teach me that trick sometime?" Ahsoka said rubbing her shoulder, the wound was gone and only a faded scar remained.

The healer scoffed "It takes many years to become a jedi healer, someone who tried it without the proper training would need to be indeed a powerful jedi." She said as she went over to the sink and washed her hands.

Just then Plo Koon walked into the room "Master Plo how may I be of assistance." The healer asked as Ahsoka got up and bowed alongside her.

"If you could give us the room Doctor, I would speak to lil'Soka alone." He insisted, the doctor nodded before she left the chambers for another one letting Ahsoka and the Jedi who brought her to the order speak. Plo Koon took his hand onto her shoulder where the wound was, no longer he saw.

"What did you make of your first encounter with Dallins men?" He asked her.

"It was… different from fighting droids, I could sense so much anger and hatred when they attacked it was almost overwhelming." She said.

Plo Koon nodded "Walk with me." He urged.

Ahsoka followed him out into the temple hallways "The last time jedi faced a large military force it was during the Stark Hyperspace War, the Militia General, Jace Dallin was part of that war."

"On the opposing side?" She asked "The opposite, he fought alongside the Jedi with the Home Defense Fleets assembled to fight the Stark Commercial Combine a cartel of criminals raiding shipping lanes." Plo Koon said beside her "He saved my life in the war and many called him a hero for his courage close to Masters Kenobi and Vos when they were younger than you."

"Then why betray the Republic?" Ahsoka asked him.

Plo Koon nodded as they passed "An answer I would very much like to know to lil'Soka."

As they walked Ahsoka remembered the sting of the arrow in her shoulder "Do you know another soldier the one who did- this?" She asked, pointing to her scar.

"The archer, I do not but I sense your paths will cross again very soon." Master Plo Koon said "This war is just beginning."

_RAXUS_

Far from the Jedi, Helix was riding in a separatist transport flying across Raxus he was looking at his helmet rubbing his thumb over the teeth as the ghillie hood dangled From the helmet, before it set down somewhere else on the planet. Helix took deep breath and rose as the ramp lowered, walking out the sun hit his face as he saw his new command before him. It stood there against the sun casting a long shadow, designed by the Quarren Free Dac Volunteers Engineering Corps, the rounded, pseudo-organic aesthetic capital ships, influenced by the planet Dac, the ships were operated originally by six hundred to nine hundred droids but now walking up its main loading ramp weren't just droids but Militia soldiers marching in parade formation up with rows of three tanks, into the Providence-class dreadnought. But this variation was different, not only one was it massive, cylindrical 1,088-meter-long warships with a pointed nose that tapered towards the superstructure this one was wedged like an axe's face primed fora battering ram into ships, some Providence-class vessels were longer, measuring 2,177.35 meters this one reached up to 2,500. These ships were said to be some of the biggest in the Separatist fleet and were capable of holding a planetary blockade almost by themselves. This enlarged model was billed as the "Separatist Dreadnought". Rising from the stern portion of the vessel, was an elongated main communications and sensor pod. The ships, like all Mon Calamari and Quarren designs, were designed to be capable of landing on water in case of emergencies. Modular compartments. Providence-class ships featured modular compartments which made the vessels very easy to modify. This made it possible to easily upgrade the propulsion systems or weaponry of a given ship, as well as making it possible to convert the ships into starfighter carriers, or other variations like this one. It's modified ports were given extra storage for the Rogue Class fighters he walked by pilots in bright yellow flight suits were walking by them on loading ships.

The Invisible Hand, flagship of General Grievous was one example of a heavily modified Providence-class ship. Offensive and defensive systems, the surface of Providence-class ships were covered with numerous heavy weapons emplacements. Modified vessels such as the Invisible Hand included a number of turret-mounted quad turbolasers, thirty-four dual laser cannons, two capital-scale ion cannons, twelve point-defense ion cannons, and 102 proton torpedo batteries. The Vanguard had twice as many of those around the fighter holds. The reactors on-board each vessel produced so much power that even their point-defense ion cannons were each capable of delivering enough heat per shot to rival a 4.8 megaton bomb. This weaponry and armor made them capable of taking on Victory and Venator-class Star Destroyers. Along with thick and extensive hull plating unusual for most small-and medium-sized CIS warships, and a network of heavy combat shield generators, the ships relied on three Creveld-4 radial ion drive units for sublight propulsion and featured an advanced Class hyperdrive. Standard vessels had their sterns filled with reactors and thrusters, while some ships were modified to allow for bigger hangar space. The thrusters could be arranged to provide different emergency settings, the main one using blast shields to redirect the ion particles exiting the thrusters, and provide a breaking thrust which slowed the ship's movement during an atmospheric descent. A similar setting utilized emergency booster engines to slow the ship. In addition to thrusters, a Providence-class ship could utilize airbrake panels that lined the ship to slow descent in an atmosphere. The Vanguard had two elongated wings at its rear with ten extra engines on the back making it a true monster. He walked up the ramp and passed by Militia soldiers who saluted and welcomed him as he passed through the halls, being filled with supplies meant for war before he walked into an elevator rising to the bridge.

The Providence-class command center was located at the front of the vessel, in a forward facing tower similar to the Recusant-class destroyer this setup made the Providence-class slightly more maneuverable than its Republic counterparts particularly in atmospheres. The elevator doors opened and Helix was greeted by the rising of the crews officers to their feet "Commander on the bridge!" a quarrel wearing the blue uniform of a separatist officer said, his uniform was complemented by white shoulder pads with the separatist insignia on his arms, his black belt had a RG-4D at his hip but he held a trident in his right hand that he stomped seeing Starstorm.

Helix smiled walking up to the quarren "Captain Nemo, its time."

"The Vanguard is your Commander and so am I." the quarren said as Helix walked up to the other bridge officers. They were all wearing the same uniform as Nemo, with a blue coat and white pants sporting two blue stripes into boots.

Starstorm crossed his arms "Take us out." the crew all got to there stations and powered up the Vanguard, its engines roared to life and started to rise. The trees and planes of Raxus blew behind them as it started to fly over the planet. Rogue class starfighters took to the skies with it, Helix watched the blue skyu around them fade and the stars of the galaxy appear in front of him.

"So Commander, whats our target?" Captain Nemo asked Commander Starstorm.

Helix turned to him "Everywhere."


	3. Chapter 3: A Rising Storm

**Chapter 3: A Rising Storm**

_DEVARON_

_Temple of Eedit_

The sun was gone from the skies of Devaron, constructed deep within a jungle near the city Tikaroo on Devaron, the Eedit Temple was an elegant structure that emerged from the tangles of vines and underbrush. The grand promenade, known as the Eedit Road, that led to the temple cut straight through the jungle and up the stately staircase at the temple's main door. A relatively small temple compared to the Jedi Order's larger facilities, though it borrowed its architectural style from the towers of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Comprised of two dissimilar towers made of gray stone, they were joined at the base. The circular courtyard that was situated adjacent to the temple was a place of meditation, combat training, and study; a fountain was located at the center of the area. Auxiliary buildings surrounded the towers, as well as statues of ancient Jedi and other symbolism important to the Order. Established on the jungle planet Devaron because of its vast number of Force-sensitives and a powerful vergence in the Force, the Jedi Order built the Temple at the site of the vergence as an academy for the Devaronians best suited to join the Jedi. The vergence, which was strongest in the courtyard of the Temple, made it easy to learn new techniques in the Force and to heal the spirit. The light side aspects of the Force were strong here and offered those touched by darkness to feel awash in the light of the Force.

A distance away they patrol of clone troopers were marching in the jungle outside the temple, they walked through the brush and vines ready for anything "Eyes up everyone, our sensory alarms picked something up out here and it wasn't a droid." their Arc trooper said, he was wearing yellow striped armor with a full shoulder pauldron and spotted Kama.

"Probably some herd of animals?" one of the men grumbled behind him.

Suddenly the Arc trooper froze hearing a series of 'thwip' from a strung band, a second later the all five of the clone troopers were shot through with arrows.

None of them had even been able to get off a single shot as they hit the ground, coming out from above trees and the darkness was a helmeted Helix, wearing his helmet again his ghillie suit blending in with the thick vegetation of the jungle. His archers came out with him, all of them had quivers over their backs or at their hips, Helix nodded at them and they started to climb up the trees and jumping through them to take up other positions around the temple.

The commander reached to his belt and pulled out a blinker raising it to the right he clicked it making a red flash, a blue one was seen in the distance. Across from him was a group of Separatist regulars amazing in the brush, at the front of the Militia was a grey armored officer wearing a standard helmet holding an RG-4D blaster in his hands.

"This is Starstorm, are we set?" he asked.

"We're bouncing their signals off a hundred different channels they won't know what happens till it happens." a voice in his helmet ear replied. Helix stood up and reached under behind his back and pulled out another arrow from his quiver, it had a unique tip not an arrowhead but some sort of red substance. Holding it up to his gauntlet he struck it across the metal like a match it sparked up into fire before he laid it on his bow, pulling the string he fired the flaming arrow into the sky. Inside the temple, a tholothian jedi master with purple skin and a dark beige jedi robe and a weequay padawan learner wearing a tan one with long braids coming out of her leathery skin who were training inside the temples top tower saw the arrow lightsabers already drawn.

"Sound the alarm." his master said, the doors of the temple burst open with clones rushing out greeted by Militia already running up the street and through the trees shooting. The clones bravely rushed through the enemy gunfire taking up positions and shooting back.

Down in the listening tower the Jedi Padawan rushed into the tower, it had four seats with clones sitting at terminals by a window "Get a distress signal out now."

"We are but no one is receiving us, I did a systems diagnostics there redirecting our signals I'll try to-" The glass windows shattered when an arrow flew through the window taking out the radio workers through the neck.

"No." The padawan yelled.

Outside her master broke through the enemy fire to deflect shots to give his men a chance to move up, "Rally to me." the Jedi Master said wielding his blue lightsaber when his padawan came out with a green one. Each of them deflected the lasers as the archers loosed arrows in the trees as sharpshooters.

"Focus fire on the branches, take out those archers." the Master ordered his men who tried to find their targets but it was too dark "I can't see them?"

"Get the lights on." The Master ordered the soldiers inside, ducked behind the windowsills so as not to get hit by the arrows, one of the clones slammed his hand on a switch making the lights on top of the temple come on. The lights were painted in light with the archers sticking out like sore thumbs. The clones opened fire getting two of them as the others scattered or jumped from the trees, the advance had been halted as more clones were able to take up better positions.

Helix and his men had begun to advance with the main force coming up behind and using their cover to fling arrows over. Helix rushed up to the officer who was holding back ushering more soldiers forward "What the hell are you doing?" Helix barked at him.

"Sir?" the officer asked under his helmet "Why are we stopping?" he asked.

"The jedi sir, they cut off their path." the officer replied to helix over the enemy fire. Looking over Helix saw the clones weren't backing down and that the men were holding back he took out four arrows from his quiver and held them between his fists fingers and ran out behind cover "Commander?!" one of the officers called out after. Helix knocked his first two arrows and aimed them at the two nearest clones, they flew just as the clones opened fire on them, Helix jumped sideways flipping he knocked his third arrow and fired it at another clone, when he landed he took the bow in hand and like a climb slammed it into the next clone and stabbed the arrow between his helmet and neck he dragged the clone in front of him so the troopers opened fire on the white armored back.

He pushed forward with the clone as the human shield before the Jedi Master saw him behind the dead clone. Helix ran at the jedi dropping the clone trooper to engage him. The clone trooper swung his lightsaber at Helix who dodged and flipped out of the way but kept himself close to take away the advantage of the man's lightsaber. The jedi master kicked and tried to punch Helix but he dodged the kick and took the punch before he twisted around so the Jedi's back was turned and drew his lightsaber back to to strike a killing blow but the second his back was turned he was filled full of arrows.

"Master!" his padawan screamed, when the clones saw their general fall it was nothing to the reaction from Militia forces. Seeing the spirit of the clones falter the enemy made sure to break it.

"Come on!" Helix yelled, Militia soldiers flooded over their cover on all sides running toward the clone troopers. The first wave went down but the others broke through overwhelming the clones. Helix watched his men rush forward driving the clones back inside the Jedi padawan held them off at first taking the high ground cutting down the first man who came at her. She sidestepped stabbing another before one of them was able to shoot her in the arm she yelled before she was cut down by the militia fire.

The Militia were past her before the jedi were even dead into the temple, overwhelming the clones with superior numbers.

Helix watched his men break into the temple followed by heavier fighting inside any clones who tried to retreat deeper inside were met with grenades following them. Outside Helix knelt down in front of the dead padawan and looked at her as she breathed her last, "Sir what are your orders?" the Separatist Officer asked under his helmet. The Padawan's body was riddled with blaster shots, she started to cough up blood drowning in it.

Helix stood up and looked at him "Burn it." he said taking the officers blaster and putting the padawan out of her suffering.

_OPEN CIRCLE FLEET_

_Resolute II_

Anakin and Ahsoka stood on the bridge of their cruiser looking at a hologram of Plo Koon standing with his Arc Trooper Wolffe beside him on the table. "The temple was razed to the ground, everything was either destroyed or burned we found no survivors but we found these." Plo Koon held up a faggot of arrows in his claws to show the jedi.

"The Militia." Anakin said looking over at his Padawan, with them were Admiral Yuralen and Captain Rex.

"This is the third outpost they've hit, they've been moving faster than expected?" Admiral Yuralen said.

"Have we uncovered anything about who's leading these attacks, General Dallin has remained on Antar 4 training more troops?" Plo Koon asked.

Yuralen knodded "We do his name is Helix Starstorm and he's been promoted to Command of the Militia expeditionary force."

They brought up a holographic image of Starstorm in front of him rotating it around, "Looks a little young to be a Commander?" Anakin said. Ahsoka looked over at him noticing Helix and her were similar age but said nothing.

"What do we know about him?" Anakin asked.

"Very little, all we do know is he was a former member of the Black Sun crime syndicate before they placed a bounty on him and removed it a little over a year ago." Admiral Yuralen said as they showed a wanted poster for him that had a sizable reward "What made them remove the bounty?" Ahsoka asked.

"We're not sure, we have more on his files for your review." Yuralen explained, the image changed back to show a recording of the battle between Helix and the Jedi master before the Jedi Master was filled in the back with arrows. Ahsoka and Anakin winced seeing another one of their jedi fall, then they watched the padawan fight to her last breath before she fell over. As the troops ran past her they watched Starstorm stand over the padawan and take the Separatist officers blaster "Burn it." They cut the feed before they saw him execute the padawan.

Anakin looked at the deactivated holotable thinking "We need to put a stop to this Starstorms raids, the more outposts he reports the destroy the more people will join the militia."

"We can handle this Militia General." Rex said confidently "Good to hear Rex, cause we're going to set a trap."

"A trap?" Ahsoka asked "That's right snips, if we choose the right outpost with the right bait we'll get them."

Anakin nodded at her "And I have just the one in mind." Anakin said.

THE VANGUARD

Separatist Space

Helix left his troop transport as it docked in the dreadnoughts hanger the men followed out with wounded being carried by droids toward the medical wing of the ship. Captain Nemo watched the wounded get taken away as Helix walked out holding his helmet by the brim with his bow over his chest crossed over his quiver strap "Captain Nemo, chalk another one down."

"Any word from General Dallin?" He asked.

"None yet, but your transfers have arrived much to the officer class's dismay." The Quarren said taking out a holopad and handing him a holopad.

Helix took it and looked at him "Good there, here, what did you mean about the officers dismay?"

"They expected to fight under General Dallin, not…" "Not me I get it, words gotten around about what I did before this?"

Nemo didn't say anything he only started to follow Helix as they walked toward another part of the hanger, Helix handed him the datapad "Tell me what you think of our latest additions?" He said as they walked past a colorful cast of soldiers now aboard the vanguard.

"Skell Longclaw, a trandoshan mercenary and weapons expert highly trained in explosives, marksmanship and close quarter combat, his units would go in first and break the enemy lines with shotguns, a high temper and even higher alcohol tolerance." He said behind Helix as they walked past a trandoshan, he was wearing a blue trandoshan hunters suit and brown vest. He was sitting by a set of crates opening taking out an array of weapons "Means he's an excellent shock trooper." Helix said as he walked by them. Skell looked over at Helix and gave him a snarl of acknowledgement.

"Vox Noir, umbaran militia, excellent guerilla fighter, trained in explosives and booby traps as well as sabotage it says here though he lost half of his face when his own IED went south." they passed by a tall slender umbarian male with pale gray skin and a white Mohawk, half of his face on the right side was burned severely almost down to the bone "Then he made bigger and badder, guy makes bombs like it's an art." Helix said walking by Vox wearing a militia uniform and armor.

Finally they came to the only woman among the transfers "Uriel Mantell, from Onderon she remained loyal to the Onderonian court when the new monarchy was implemented, basic training in military tactics and a specialization in foreign linguistics and cultures I see why you asked for her compared to these to." Nemo said as they walked past her, she was a young woman with bright red hair and pale skin, a set of pale amber eyes were behind her bangs. She was wearing a naval uniform similar to the quarren captain but had body armor on, her red hair was tied back in a thick braid. "Now you're catching on what about the last man?" he asked.

"If you can call him that and no sign of him yet." Captain Nemo said.

"Damn I was hoping he'd show, he's all three of them wrapped into one." Helix said sighing in defeat before he held up his hands to his lips and whistled for all three of them to come over.

Skell, Vox and Uriel approached him "Glad you all could make it, now here's the plan we're finally being left on the leash."

Skell's fangs grinned, Vox brought out what looked like a half smile and Uriel said nothing but starred "What's our next target?" She asked.

"Bogada." Helix said making all three of them look aghast and shake their heads "That's another listening outpost Helix?" Vox asked.

"Our orders are orders, the General is still on Raxus and the Marshal is on Antar 4 I don't like it anymore then you do." Helix said trying to reason with them as one of Captain Nemo's men came up to him with a holopad.

"Commander." He said handing the holopad to Helix.

His eyes got wide and the blonde looked to his men smiling "What is it?"

"Our spies just got word the Republic are moving a high value prisoner near our location." Helix said holding up the datapad, and showing them a hologram profile of a Devaronian man with a right cybernetic eye, he was wearing an orange jumpsuit of a prisoner around his collar instead of proper military apparel and a fat nemodian in similar garb "General Kleeve and Lok Durd?" Uriel said eyes wide.

Vox and Skell looked at one another "Says here putting him and Durd on trial on Devaronian for crimes against the Republic."

"This is a trap." Captain Nemo said.

"Even better we'll make it ours." Helix said smiling with an idea of his own.

All of them looked at him "Captain Nemo gathered the officers in the conference room and got word to General Dallin I need his approval before we go forward."

_OPEN CIRCLE FLEET_

_Resolute II_

Ahsoka was looking at Helix Starstorms file, his picture right next to his name and logistics about him as she and Anakin awaited the transfer of prisoners to there fleet. "Whatcha reading snips?" Anakin asked.

"Yuralen report on this Helix Starstorm?" she said looking at it.

"It helps to know one's enemy Obi-Wan wanted to say." Anakin said smiling as he suddenly took it from her "Let me see."

"Hey." Ahsoka said as Anakin read it "Never heard of this planet, Lothal says here he moved to Coruscant before he was enrolled in the Republic Naval Officers academy… on a recommendation from General Dallin before he dropped out interesting?" Anakin said looking back at her.

Ahsoka nodded "I saw that too, I've also been reading reports he's tactics include deception and surrounding the enemy." Ahsoka said taking the datapad back "I'm still trying to figure out why he uses a bow and not a blaster?"

Before she could read more a Republic dropship flew in landing before them, out of it walked both Lok Durd and Kleeve in orange prisoner jumpsuits, Lok Durd was shoved into the hanger as Kleeve walked with his horned head held high.

"General Skywalker." Kleeve said hands bound like Durd "Are we being traded, is this a prisoner exchange?" Lok Durd asked hopefully.

"Have some respect for yourself Durd, we're being put on trial and on my own home world no less?" the devaroian male said in spite of glaring at Anakin with his one good eye.

Anakin glared at him "You chose your side General Kleeve to betray the Republic and now you'll face justice." Anakin said.

"Justice from you, I doubt it, kill us if you must but one day soon Jedi the people will rise up and when they do they will drag your corpses through the mud and hang you from your own temple statues." General Kleeve said up to him refusing to break in front of the Jedi Knights overwhelming presence, Kleeve looked down at Ahsoka "You're on the wrong side girl."

"Get moving separatist." one of the clones said shoving him to his cell "Master what did he mean by the wrong side?" she asked him.

Anakin rolled his eyes "He's a separatist they'll say anything to get inside your head Ahsoka."

_RAXUS_

_Separatist Senate House, Raxulon_

General Dallin was sitting in his office looking at the information Helix had received and transferred a hologram of the young commander standing across from him "Kleeve, wasn't he captured early in the war?"

"He was a General, if we break him out I'd assume he'd be very grateful to the Militia and I heard he was against the idea of droid soldiers versus real ones." Helix said back to him.

Dallin brushed his fingers over his scar "He's not the man we need to convince, in fact is on his way here to discuss the future of the Militia there already many of the Separatist Generals and Admirals who have made it clear we are not go anywhere near there fleets or sectors."

"We did up show them at Aragon." Helix said "We had to make a statement that much of this war is being run by opportunists with their own agenda." Dallin said looking up at the hologram.

"Do you think the Vanguard has enough men to pull off the operation?" Dallin asked him, Helix paused "I only need one strike team the other officers will lead our men in a diversion, the clones are still used to fighting droids which gives us an advantage." Helix said.

General Dallin looked at the battle plans and logistics on his desk before he looked up a Helix and leaned back in his chair "I heard you killed another jedi."

"We're at war." Helix said back quickly avoiding his gaze.

"We are, very well I approve the operation contact me when you've secured General Kleeve." General Dallin said standing up "Alliance Eternal." Helix said saluting him "Alliance Eternal." Dallin replied before the transmission was cut.

Dallin wouldn't be a moment to rest as his doors opened to reveal General Grievous the cyborg leader of the Droid Armies. Dallin already standing bowed respectfully to him "General at last."

"General Dallin, how strange it is to find you hear after you and Rendili initially refused to join the Separatist alliance yet here you are?" Grievous coughed walking in, both of Dallins guards followed the Chairmen in, Dallin held up his hand and gestured for them to wait outside leaving the two men alone. Dallin and Grievous stood there, the cyborg's white armor and yellow eyes gave him a monsterous visage while Dallin's brown hair and fair skin against the light showed something primal about him.

General Dallin held out his hand "Please General, sit and I'll explain."

Grievous did so blowing his gray cape back to sit down and cross his legs while Dallin sat down at his desk "I initially refused the Counts offer of a place in his inner circle because I was still loyal to the Republic and your insistence to use artificial soldiers."

"It is the humane thing to do as opposed to the Jedi's clone troopers, droids are easier to handle and coordinate as a larger force" Grievous said tapping his chair.

"I agreed then as I do now, but a war of independence or separation must be fought with those who seek to separate from the old, men and women who must be inspired to fight and rally to their General when surrounded." General Dallin pointed out "Tell me the makeup of this Militia?" Grievous asked

Dallin felt like a great dragon was watching him "The entire Rendili Home Defense fleet has pledged their military might behind us, the Quarren Separation league have been supplying us with cruisers and ships, as small faction of the Neimoidian Noble families have sent some of their sons to our cause with weapons, the last are Umbarian Militia, Genosians who want their planet back and any volunteers." General Dallin told him to give him the makeup of his army.

The cyborg looked at him closely stroking his mechanical mask "And more on Antar 4 everyday, I hear?"

"With the Parliaments support yes, but not yours?" General Dallin asked throwing an accusation at him.

The slits in Grievous eyes were like two knives cutting deep "You are certainly ambitious General Dallin, I will give you that but what makes you think you are any threat to my command."

"My only ambition is the freedom and security of the Alliance General." General Dallin replied "You served in the Stark Hyperspace war did you, among many jedi." Grievous asked him

Dallin didn't make any nod or gesture to confirm "You know I did, because Count Dooku was the Jedi Master in charge."

"And you have no qualms fighting against old comrades?" Grievous asked asked him with a scent of glee in his voice box.

General Dallin stood then and walked over to the window looking out, showing his back to the cyborg "This war was inevitable, as was the need to choose a side."

"The Jedi ignored the outer rims pleas for help from lawlessness and the Republic cared more for profit for their corporations than the safety of their people." General Dallin said "But I won't talk politics with you Grievous we'll leave that to the Count, I know this war isn't like any other war." General Dallin said, turning around.

He walked around the table standing over the Grievous "You were not always a Cyborg as Count Dooku wasn't always what he was?" for just a brief moment before Grievous rose to meet his eyes then tower over him "...A jedi master turns from his order, his faith and rallies a thousand systems on the idea of independence and fair treatment for all not just humans to stand against the Republic he swore to uphold, General please do not insinuate my intelligence I want to know right now what you want from me and my men?"

"Droid army out numbers the Clone and Jedi a hundred to one yet this war has dragged out for nearly three long years, you take a planet or a system and loose it in a few days, unlike some of these generals I have no ambitions to pillage and loot worlds like Ryloth?" Genera Dallin asked him walking over to another desk and pouring two cups of wine "When I fight a war I intend to win it, I know you have a hatred for the Jedi, killing them one battle after the other isn't enough is it?" he asked returning to Grievous with the wine cup.

Grievous and Dallin locked eyes before Grievous took the wine "What are you offering me that Count Dooku cannot General?" General Grievous asked him. Dallin drank his wine and walked back over to the table and pulled up a holographic image of Anakin Skywalker "How about Anakin Skywalker's head for the taking."


	4. Chapter 4: Battle of Devaron

DEVARON

The Resolute II dropped out of hyperspace above the planet where they'd be transporting the prisoners. Inside the hanger Anakin and Ahsoka were debriefing the commanding clones with Artoo gave a holographic image of Militia troops fighting "From our recovered recordings of the attacks on our outposts by the Militia we've learned these troops move fast and hit hard, the Militia Regulars comprise the majority of the Militia forces." Anakin said.

The image changed to show the Militia bowmen next "These appear to be a scout and mix of special forces, for now we're designating them as Rangers, there primary weapons are bow and arrows but they also come equipped with grapple hooks they use to traverse high ground." Ahsoka said to the troops.

"Any droids?" Rex asked looking at a recording that Artoo switched to show the Militia troops fighting clones "As of right now the Militia have been fighting solely without droids but if they do we can expect them to use the droids as shock troops." Anakin said before they showed a rogue class Starfighter that froze the second it passed by zooming in on a Militia pilot. Their helmet was similar to regular but had a tube coming out and down into the vest of a yellow flight suit "Same for pilots."

The clones looked at one another uneasily "We're dropping Separatist Generals Kleeve and Lok Durd on Devaron for trial, Devaron's loyalty to the Republic is questionable at best many on Devaron see General Kleeve as a hero but there wrong." Anakin said to the clones who didn't bat an eye, Ahsoka on the other hand looked at her Master before he finished up "Right now we're expecting ambushes as soon as we land, Rex make sure your men are planning plenty of fire power."

Rex smiled "We can handle these farmboys General, right boys?" Rex asked his men who all nodded and smiled.

"Ahsoka go escort the prisoners back here okay?" Anakin asked her.

"Yes Master." Ahsoka said before she headed out of the hanger.

Later as she walked into the brig, the clone troopers were taking Durd and Kleeve out of their cells and started to escort them up to her. "General Kleeve, General Durd follow me." Ahsoka said turning around leading them to the elevator.

The two separatist Generals, Ahsoka and four clones crowded into the elevator "W-what will happen to us?"

"We're escorting you to Devaron to be tried for your crimes against the Republic." Ahsoka said.

"But, but I've cooperated plenty. Why Devaron, why not Coruscant?" Lok Durd asked frightened still, Kleeve was quiet watching Durd beg "My world isn't allied with the Separatists what's your motive Jedi?" Kleeve asked her.

Ahsoka said nothing as the elevator rose onward "There's talk in the prison transports, of a Separatist Militia being formed, that they may stop using droids does this worry you Jedi?" Kleeve asked.

Not easily goaded Ahsoka didn't reply "Or does it worry you troopers?" Kleeve asked looking at the clones, their faces hidden behind their phase II helmets "I mean you never had a say in this war, you were born trained and then told to fight?"

The Clones who stood at attention shared a few looks when Kleeve wasn't looking "You men must all be wondering what is it going to be like to fight men who actually had a choice, who decided instead of sitting back and letting someone else fight my war, that they will kill and maybe even die for what they believe in." Kleeve said looking at the back of Ahsoka's head.

"What do you believe in Jedi?" General Kleeve asked her.

Ahsoka turned "I believe you'll be found guilty for war crimes and that the sooner you Separatists give up the sooner this war will be over." she said as the elevator opened to the hanger walking out.

"And what becomes of us after the war?" Kleeve asked her "What are you sixteen, started fighting around thirteen fourteen all you've known is war." General Kleeve said as they approached Anakin who stood hands on his hips next to Rex.

"He's all yours Rex, careful he's quite the chatter." Ahsoka said, Rex and his men took custody of General Kleeve and Durd to one of the drop ships.

Durd walked past them as Kleeve did so before he stopped looking at all the clones around them then at Anakin and Ahsoka "Keep moving." Anakin ordered.

"Ah Anakin Skywalker, tell me how do Palpatine's boots tasted after you've licked them clean?" Kleeve asked.

Anakin didn't take kindly to that "I'd watch what you say about the Supreme Chancellor."

"And I'd watch him even closer, Skywalker." Kleeve said walking onto the ship.

"What was that?" Ahsoka asked "I'm not sure Commander?" Rex added before they were about to board the ship the entire ship's alarms began to blare followed by the entire hanger being wrecked by cannon fire.

Anakin and Ahsoka steadied themselves as others were knocked to the ground, Anakin reached up to his comlink "Admiral, is it the Militia?"

"Are those the jedi premonitions I've heard so much about?" Yuralenn asked from the bridge where he could see the Vanguard had just come out of hyperspace heading straight for them, fast.

Anakin smiled, getting his confirmation "Alright the trap is sprung, get to your fighter Ahsoka, all Squadrons get ready to launch."

"Admira keeps them busy, my fighters and I will reinforce you soon." Anakin said up to him, as the ship took even more heavy hits getting harder and harder with every blast.

"I wouldn't recommend it Skywalker, the enemy dreadnought is in a collision course with our own- intensify forward shields and batteries." Yuralen ordered while he reported to Anakin, one of his bridge officers saw something on the scanners "Admiral we've got confirmation of boarding pods coming from the enemy ship." Yuralen went pale for a moment before he saw a dozen Separatist boarding pods stab into the haul of his ship via the hanger. Down below inside it Anakin and Ahsoka bore witness to the twelve pods spier like clamps cut through the metal haul above the clones and their ships.

"Is this our trap or theres?" Ahsoka asked her to take out her lightsabers "Rex, Ahsoka get the prisoners back to the brig." Anakin ordered drawing his own sword as the doors of the boarding pods wooshed open.

Rex saw some of the boarding pods start to open "That may be a problem sir."

"ATTACK!" Commander Starstorm leapt out with his bow and arrow at the ready followed by an entire battalion of Militia borders jumped out holding the hexagon yellow personal shields forming defensive circles around their pods as regulars without pouring out to engage the clones with red hot balster fire. Helix was already loosing arrows left and right at clones as behind him came his hand picked soldiers. Skell Longclaw came out with a helmet on holding a heavy repeating rotary blaster cannon, Vox Noir was carrying a standard E-5 with a vibrosword on his back and jetpack. Uriel came armed with two blaster pistols here head covered by a traditional Onderonian helmet with a militia face mask. Anakin was out in front on a crate deflecting most of the shots but Skell was clearly trying to spray cover fire and not hit the jedi. Ahsoka and Rex were also engaged as the entire hanger was turned into a battlefield by the boarding pods spreading out the militia forces among the clones.

Skell's rotating blaster cannon unleashed a barrage of blaster fire covering the other boarders as they came out. Across them the Sepratatist prisoner were all reacting very differently, Lok Durd was cowering behind a crate as a clone trooper watched them "I surrender, I surrender." Lok Durd said as General Kleeve waited for the right moment.

The second the clone trooper guarding them looked away Kleeve jumped at him using his devaronian horns to ram into the guards helmet and pick up the clone blaster, he turned it on Lok Durd "K-Kleeve what are you doing?"

Kleeve squeezed the trigger he shot the restraints of Lok Durds cuffs just as Ahsoka looked back "Rex." she snapped over to him, she ran right at Kleeve and Lok Durd making the fat neimoidian scream. Kleeve turned the blaster on her shooting, Ahsoka deflected his shots out of the way before she cut his blaster in half and knocked him over "You're not getting away that easy." she said. As to tempt fate the crates behind them were burst open with a squadron of clone pilots locked in a melee with another militia boarding party. They were all either holding vibro swords or axes giving them an advantage against the unarmed clone pilots, Ahsoka was taken off guard not by the enemy troops but from the whtie armored clones stained with their own red blood being spilled by the sword and axes cutting and hacking away at the clones.

Anakin and the other clones turned around to see their lines had broken in the hanger and turned around to face the closet enmey, Helix took notice too "The lines are broken, go, go, go." he said flicking a switch on his bow, the arms bent inward compacting itself and he put it on his back next to his quiver, he unsheathed his knife and Skell tossed him one of the boarding axes, a short hatchet with a single hooked edge before he and his men charged the republic ranks just as the doors behind the clones opened with reinforcements.

The ensuing fight turned into a close quarter bloodbath like on Aragon, Helix ran past the clones rolling on the floor to cut a clone's heel before he buried his axe into his neck as he fell. Walking forward he engaged a clone with a long blaster rifle that he caught on his axe before he drove his knife into the gap under his chest piece and arm dragging it up making him scream. When he saw Kleeve and Durd being held hands behind their heads by clones who had come to assist Ahsoka, who was surrounded at the moment. The padawan used her lightsabers to block and deflect any swords or axes that came her way, she used force push to repulse the surrounding troops when jumping over the wave appeared Helix.

"Round two jedi?" he asked her "You." Ahsoka hissed before they locked weapons. Ahsoka's lightsabers entangled with his axe and knife

"Get the Generals out of here." Helix barked at his men who shot the two clone troopers guarding them.

"We've been saved!" Lok Durd cried "No." Ahsoka tried to force push Helix away but he rolled out of the way and hooked his axe around her boot making her fall over when she tried to chase the two Generals. Clawing on top of here, Helix raised his Axe down but she caught his arm and rolled over him and pulled his arm back in an attempt to break it. But when she heard the warning in the force that Uriel was pointing her blaster at the jedi. Ahsoka let go and rolled out of the way.

She saw Kleeve and Lok Durd were being escorted to one of the boarding pods by a squad of militia "Master!" Ahsoka yelled.

Anakin who was in the thickest part of the melee looked out to see the prisoners escaping, he leapt into the air over the battle to try and run them down. "Vox!" Helix yelled, in a split second the Umbarian was in the air with his jetpack and tackled Anakin out of the air onto the hangar floor. Drawing his sword he ran straight toward Anakin who was up and waiting. All it took was one swing from Vox for Anakin to get out of the way and slice his arm off.

Vox screamed from shock and pain before he looked up at Anakin who smugly said "Nice try-" Anakin's smile disappeared when Vox held up his other hand holding a thermal detonator already primed

"Alliance Eternal." Vox said before he turned it on, the blast shook the entire hanger sending Anakin across the room and into a metal wall leaving a serious dent "MASTER!" Ahsoka screamed as she fought Helix. She gave one look at him and he saw in her eyes the Jedi training was gone; there was only rage. Ahsoka summoned all the force within her and erupted into a force repulse sending all the Militia around her flying. Helix was able to grab onto a pillar before he hit the floor, looking up he saw Ahsoka standing over him with her Lightsabers ready to cut his head off.

Helix looked up at her with a cracked vizor with the Jedi over him "Do it." Helix said to her "DO IT!"

Ahsoka gritted her teeth, her eye twitching before she lowered her arms refusing to follow through, instead she turned and ran over to her master.

"Commander, we have the Generals secure." Helix rose from his spot watching Ahsoka go stunned; she didn't kill him when she had the chance. "Commander?" Uriel asked again. Snapping back to the fight "All forces withdraw, this was the easy part." Helix said, picking up his bow and retreating as the fighting resumed.

Across from them Ahsoka ran up to Anakin as clones surrounded the fallen General, Anakin was covered in burns bleeding from the forehead and his robes torn apart. "Rex, we need to get him to the medical bay." Ahsoka snapped as Rex came up his armor stained with Militai blood "Yes Commander- Medic, we need a medic what about the prisoners?" Ahsoka looked up to the Militia forces retreating to their pods climbing into them via ropes or harnesses pulling them up.

"When those pods detach this hanger will go to, pull everyone out." Ahsoka ordered "You heard her men, get out of the hanger out!" Rex ordered the clones.

Ahsoka helped Rex drag Anakin out of the hanger as the Militia were given a free escape route. When all the Militia who were still alive were onboard Helix gave the order "Detach."

The pods's repulsor engines unlocked them from the Resolute's haul creating powerful vacuums across the hanger sucking out supplies, fighters and even men from both sides. "Admiral can you take out the retreating pods." Ahsoka asked.

"Not without drawing fire away from the enemy ship, they're going to ram us if sent out a call for reinforcements they should be here momentarily." Admiral Yuralen said with the Vanguard closing in on them.

"Rex we need to secure Anakin." Ahsoka told him quickly.

Up on the bridge Yuralen watched the escape pods swerve around the crossfire of cannon fire to the opposite side of the Vanguard seconds away from hitting the Resolute "Brace for impact!" Yuralen yelled when the enemy ships battering ram hit the nose of the Resolute II. Every soul on each ship felt the collision sending clones flying from their seats but aboard the Vanguard Captain Nemo and his men were strapped in their seats.

"Direct hit Captain, damage to our haul is minimum." One of his bridge officers reported to Nemo.

"Excellent work, men let's bring out men home and get the hell out of here." Captain Nemo ordered.

"Roger, roger." the men all said as the pods entered the opposite sides hanger, the Vanguard started to steer away from the Resolute with its broadside cannons unleashing hell on the cruiser.

In the Resolute's Bridge the crew was recovering, Yuralen on his feet "Admiral we can't take more of this." one of his men said when another shouted "Reinforcements have arrived."

Three Republic cruisers dropped out of hyperspace behind the Resolute and aboard the lead ship was General Plo Koon, "Concentrate your fire on the enemy ships engines we cannot afford to let them escape." Koon ordered coming out of the hangar in his jedi Starfighter leading his squadron into battle.

Now it was the Republic's turn to hammer the Militia who were withdrawing, even as the boarding pods returned to the Vanguard, Helix could feel the ship shake from four enemy ships hitting them at once "Get us out of here, now Nemo !" he barked.

"Five seconds to hyperspace jump, five four three tw-." Nemo replied before the port wing of the Vanguard exploded "No!" Nemo yelled.

"Admiral the enemy ship is disabled." One of Admiral Yuralens crew replied as the Republic starfighters closed in, Plo Koon's ship flew across their bow taking out their cannons one by one when his own ship's radar started to blare with warnings. Plo Koon looked out the cockpit and before he could warn his men an entire Separatist armada with a modified Providence Dreadnought at its helm and eight frigates to reinforce it.

Aboard the Separatist command ship stood General Grievous "All ships open fire on the Republic dogs!"

Meanwhile aboard the Vanguard the Militia forces saw the Separatist fleet arrive inside the hanger and sent up a cheer "That's General Grievous's ship!" one of the men said Helix heard him and took his helmet on climbing up to a crate "Grievous, Grievous, Grievous!" he yelled to his men who started to chant with him "GRIEVOUS, GRIEVOUS, GRIEVOUS, GRIEVOUS, GRIEVOUS, GRIEVOUS!"

Helix pressed his finger to the com "Captain Nemo you hear this?" he said as a swarm of vulture droids flew past them.

"I do?" Nemo asked as Grievous covered their retreat "Send it through to the General."

Captain Nemo started to send the signal through from his chair "General Grievous you're a sight for these eyes." Captain Nemo said in a hologram in front of Grievous "I care not for your men Captain only to see Republic ships burn." Grievous said back to him "They have another viewpoint."

""GRIEVOUS, GRIEVOUS, GRIEVOUS, GRIEVOUS, GRIEVOUS, GRIEVOUS!" the General heard the chants of hundreds of men and women crying out his name.

Plo Koon's fighters were soon overwhelmed by the droids and saw Grievous's frigates starting to encircle them "General Skywalker do you read, we must fallback."

"My master's hurt Master Koon, Admiral?" Ahsoka replied into the comlink then asked the Admiral "We won't last much longer, we must retreat while we can." Admiral Yuralen said.

"Do it, signal the retreat." Ahsoka ordered "All ships withdraw." The order spread across the cruisers and fighters who all turned around in full retreat defeated, again.

_RAXUS_

_Raxulon. _

Jace Dallin stood hands behind his back looking over the Separatist capital inside his office when his tables comlink came on to show the hologram of Commander Starstorm, "That was close."

"It worked didn't it?" Dallin replied, turning around walking over to his chair leaning on it "Did the General receive his dues?" Dallin asked him.

Helix nodded "The men chanted for good ten minutes, but Grievous didn't come over to say hello."

"Lok Durd and Kleeve?" General Dallin asked him "Lok Durd hasn't shut up since we got him, Kleeve is… quiet?"

Jace Dallin smiled "Figured he's not a fool, return to Raxus we'll repair the Vanguard and he'll have a chance to inspect our new recruits."

Helix nodded casually, not looking at him "Of course sir."

Dallin noticed that something was bothering the young man "What is it, thought you'd be happier considering the victory?"

"One of the jedi could have killed me today, but she didn't?" Helix said shaking his head looking at the floor.

Jace took a deep breath "War is fickle mistress, rest recover we'll speak more."

"Do you think General Grievous will be with us when we make our move?" Helix asked him before Jace hit the coms "If we remind him of who the man he was not the machine became, yes we'll need him if we're to kill Count Dooku." Dallin said to him "Alliance Eternal." Dallin said.

"Alliance Eternal." Helix replied before they cut the transmission.


	5. Chapter 5: Secrets & Treason

_RESOLUTE II_

Aboard the open circle fleet flagship, Ahsoka, Plo Koon, Red and Yuralen were all gathered around the medical bed of one Anakin Skywalker who was laying there eyes closed still as a ghost. He was hooked up to vital monitoring machines of all kinds as a medical droid scanned him "His vitals are functioning but weak, he will recover in time but I am unsure when he will wake from this coma?" The droid said up to the jedi.

"We should transport him back to Coruscant immediately, so our own healers can care for him plus he'll be safer there." Ahsoka said to the other men.

"A wise choice Ahsoka, in the meantime my fleet will assist you with repairs to your ship before we depart for the Ogaia system, this new Militia victory is inspiring new attacks across the various fronts." Master Plo Koon said, getting Admiral Yuralens attention.

"I'll attend to the ship's repairs myself, Commander Tano please come find me when you are ready." He asked her, Ahsoka nodded quietly looking at him then back at her sleeping master.

Rex was the only one in the medical room left with Ahsoka and Anakin, when they had a moment Rex walked over to her "Don't worry about him Ahsoka, the General will be just fine a few days rest at the Jedi Temple he'll be back in action in no time."

"Thanks Rex, I can always count on you." She said to him "Of course Commander the men are dire for some payback."

Ahsoka frowned crossing her arms "Well count me in too."

ANTAR 4

The fourth moon of the Antar system, home to the Gotal people of the Galaxy Antar For was a small moon covered in hilly fields with rocks jutting up so high some could be considered mountains. In the wake of the Separatist creation of its own armed forces, much of the terrain had been leveled out to create the first Separatist training grounds far away from the Raxus the capital. The largest of these compounds was Fort Carrick, a new construction that sprung up almost overnight. The Fort is stationed on Antar fours largest plateau covered in metal buildings surrounded by twenty foot high walls with the main section of the compound open surrounded by barracks, hangars, a command center and other amenities for the soldiers, it was so large and the buildings so numerous it was almost a small city.

Running through the base in drill regulation either by marches or exercise were Militia recruits all wearing the horizon blue uniforms. They were a mix of species between a few humans, gotals, siniteens, leyakians, a few trandoshans and more. Walking through the compound with an escort of fully grey armored Militia regulars was General Jace Dallin with Separatist officers General Kleeve was adorned in black and gold armor fitting of a Devaronian General, Lok Durd was as well wearing his old blue and gray robes of rank. "As you can see General Kleeve, General Durd our forces are growing and as they do so will."

"Most intriguing Dallin, tell me when will I be receiving a command?" Lok Durd asked, smiling.

General Dallin stopped turning a round "I'm afraid that will be up to the Separatist Council, Count Dooku and they will be arriving shortly to inspect the troops as well."

"C-count Dooku?" Lok Durd asked.

Kleeve smiled seeing whether or not Durd was about to wet himself "I-I see I must go prepare then." Durd said before he waddled away back to the command center.

Kleeve shook his head "How that man became a General I will never know?"

"He may be a coward but he's a brilliant inventor." Jace said getting closer to Kleeve "Tell me Dallin, what was what that made you finally turn on the Jedi?" Kleeve asked before they started to walk together passing by men training at a firing range shooting at moving targets that flew up from under sand before switching around in a shuffle.

"When the jedi turned on us, in the years leading up to the War Rendili and other worlds petitioned the Senate to allow the System security forces of the core and mid rims to better coordinate resources to assist the systems calling for aid, they originally came to us first then to the Senate the idea of a Clone Army being raised in secret was to much for the other officers to bare on Rendili a slight against their honor." Dallin explained as they approached the Militia Marshal who saw them coming.

He saluted Dallin as they approached "But you, the Hero of the Stark Hyperspace War a man who spilt blood with the jedi in the name of that Republic."

"The officers under my command are young, idealistic and wanted a leader not too old or too young to rally behind. I would say it was an honor but this is more of a burden."

"One you wear well General." Kleeve said before they stopped in front of Marshal "How many recruits so far?"

"Almost a million already through basic training, we'll soon be out of our own stockpiles of weapons and armor, we'll need more soon to resupply the recruits." Marshal said under his helmet handing him a datapad.

Dallin looked at it "I'll take care of it." Marshal saluted before adding "Alliance Eternal."

Dallin saluted too casually "Alliance Eternal."

"What does that mean 'Alliance Eternal'?" Kleeve asked him before they continued on "All forces need a battle cry, a rally that they can all say, Alliance Eternal means that no matter where you fight you never fight alone that we are always stronger together than alone." Dallins explained as they passed by a hanger filled with Rogue-Class fighters being fueled.

Kleeve smirked "How quant."

"You disapprove?" Dallin asked him as they came to a less filled spot where they could speak from prying ears.

"On the contrary I'd like us to drop these formalities and get to the point, what do you want from me Dallin?" General Kleeve asked with his cybernetic eye scanning his face with his new good one.

Dallins good eyes did the same "You show up out of nowhere with an already trained force and are parading around as if you're the savior of the Separatist cause as if it were in trouble so what is it?"

"It's exactly that." Dallin said smiling "Tell me with the amount of droids the Confederacy has amassed they could have easily over run the Republic clones three times over, if we took every droid and ship we had and launched an all out assault on Coruscant how long would the planet stand, a day?" Dallin asked him.

Kleeve glared at him in silence waiting for him to continue, Dallin leaned in "Someone is playing a dangerous game in the shadows, I believe Count Dooku is part of this game, prolonging this war for some other purpose and not for liberty or democracy." Dallin said.

"A bold accusation, your proof?" Kleeve asked as Dallin saw a group of Genosians flying overhead before landing in the base.

Dallin returned his gaze to Kleeve "Follow me."

Kleeve followed Dallin back into the command center up in the highest point where the room was lit with red tins and nobody was in the room except for one Helix Starstorm leaning on the red glowing holotable "My second in command Helix Starstorm, he can be trusted."

"I know Helix but I know Starstorm isn't your only name." General Kleeve said walking up to him and holding out his hand, Helix eyed the man cautious "Lets keep Starstorm for now General."

"As you wish." Kleeve said.

"So Dallin, where is this proof?" Kleeve asked him.

Dallin looked to Helix who walked around the holotable "A while back, I was smuggling supplies to the Genosians so they could retake their planet I met a group of Genosians warriors who were given a very strange assignment." Helix said.

"They told me about a secret projet between Dooku and their leader Pogul the lesser." Helix said "That bug with that stupid bone cane?" Kleeve asked him.

"Hmhmm, not a lot of people on Geonosis liked him especially these warriors so after I gave them a bit of wine and my translator droid was able to understand them they told me two words."

"Words?" Kleeve asked, cocking a brow in disbelief.

Helix reached into his armor around his neck pulling out a necklace he took off and revealed a data disk around his neck "And a copy of the project plans." Helix plugged it into the table and before their eyes appeared a red holographic structure the size of a moon "Is that… a ship?" Kleeve asked, looking at it his suspicion and skepticism gone replaced by fear.

"No, it's a space station." Helix said "The two words- its name Death Star a weapon so powerful it can destroy entire planets." Helix said through the hologram before them.

Kleeve looked at Dallin then at Helix "How many more know of this?"

"Of this copy, just the three of us but we believe that those in Count Dooku's inner circle know as well." Dallin said, crossing his arms and looking out the window of the command center. Kleeve watched him before Helix unplugged the data putting it back around his neck. Walking around the table the horned devaronian stopped "You're not planning on fighting a war, you're planning a coup?"

Dallin turned around slowly "What if I am?"

"I'd say why share this with me?" General Kleeve asked "I could easily contact Grievous, Count Dooku or Nute Gunray and report your treason. I'd be welcome back into the inner circle with open arms?"

"Would you?" Dallin asked walking up to him "How do you know they wouldn't kill you after we're all hung?" Dallin asked him.

Kleeve didn't have an answer "Beside you and Lok Durd are already disgraces depending on how much you cooperated with Republic interrogators?"

"I never betrayed the Separatists." Kleeve said sternly "And that is why I've chosen you to hear us." Dallin said, walking back toward the devaronian.

"What about Dooku's former Assassin, Asajj Ventress, he betrayed her, is she not with you?" Kleeve asked them.

It was Helix who answered "We don't know where she is, last time someone spotted her it was bounty hunting in the outer rim but we'll find her."

"You'll find her how promising?" Kleeve said sarcastically, Helix took that with a slight walking around the table "We didn't need to come to you Kleeve, in fact maybe this was a mistake General?" Helix said walking past Dallin before the older man stopped his second in command.

"Stand down Helix." Dallin said calmly before resuming his offer with Kleeve "We approached you first as you are the only one of Count Dooku's generals who hasn't plundered a world or shown cruelty to its inhabitants, like Tambor, Gunray, Durd etc." Dallin explained.

"Let us say I agree with your offer, say you succeeded, what changes from now?" Kleeve asked him.

Dallin smiled seeing they were getting somewhere "We sue for peace with the Republic, withdraw all droids from active combat zones of worlds that did not align with the Separatists and have them recognize us as an independent nation."

"If they refuse?" Kleeve asked scratching his chin "Then we cry havoc and unleash the dogs of war." Dallin said.

Kleeve looked at the plan then back at both men "What of the Jedi, especially that old man's favorite Skywalker."

"Our spies in the clone army have told us he's in a coma being taken back to Coruscant." Helix said smiling.

Kleeve's one good eye was wide "You've infiltrated the clone army, how?"

Dallin held ups his armors gauntlet and pressed a button to signal someone, one of the doors to the command center opened and Marshal walked in before he removed his helmet to reveal the face of a clone soldier with a scar under the high fade black haircut "Allow me to introduce CT-1917 or as he prefers-" "Slick, my brothers called me Slick." He said walking in to stand beside General Dallin.

"A clone trooper who defected?" Kleeve asked walking up to him surprised "I can't defect if I ever had a choice in the first place?" Slick said.

"Where in the stars did you find him?" Kleeve asked Dallin.

Dallin looked at Slick "That's a long story, all you need to know is that Slick has been in contact with other clones across the Republic Army."

"And how do we know they're loyal?" Kleeve asked as Slick pointed to the scar on the right side of his head "Each clone is implanted with an obedience chip that makes sure we obey, when I first escaped I had it removed immensity and analyzed it." Slick said reaching into the folds of his armor and pulling out a specialized hard drive that had a very small chip inside this center suspended in bacta.

"There are contingency orders in here that no other clone knows about except me, they all revolve around the Supreme Chancellor and Senate one even calling for the elimination of Jedi once issued the clones with chips in their heads will have no choice but to obey." Slick said as Kleeve looked at them bewildered.

Kleeve was silent for a long time "Then why not use the orders now?"

"Can you imagine a Clone Army commanded not by jedi but by people like Trench or Grievous?" Dallin asked him.

"We must seize control of the droid army by eliminating Count Dooku's inner circle and the Count himself." Dallin said before he raised his and "Are you with us?" Dallin asked Kleeve.

Kleeve looked at the man's hand for a moment and said "I am Dallin." They shook hands sealing the pact of treason.


End file.
